Spinning top toy assembly



Nov. 12, 1963 J. E. GIBSON, JR 3,110,125

SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY Filed July 2, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 \36\ f 728- I l2 40 8 [24 6 0 I? b /6 g" lf y za 64 g 62 W Q5 4 INVENTOR JAMESE. GIBSON JR.

ATTORNEYS Nov. 12, 1963 J. E. GIBSON, JR

SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1962 JAMES E.G/BSON JR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,110,125 SPINNING TOP TQY ASSEMBLY JamesE. Gibson, Sin, 1665 Emery Road, High Point, N.C. Filed July 2, 1962,Ser. No. 206,575 13 Claims. (Cl. 46-66) This invention relates generallyto toys, and is particularly concerned with a spinning toy top assembly.

Various types of spinning tops have heretofore been suggested for use astoys. As well known, some prior top constructions incorporate agenerally conical top body and are intended to be set in spinning motionby means of an operating cord Wrapped evenly and uniformly about theouter conical surface thereof. Still other top constructions include aconical body and mechanical means, usually in the form of a high-pitchedscrew means for setting the top body in spinning motion. Even otherspinning top assemblies take the form of a return-top construction,commonly known as a Yo-yo, and certain of these lattenmentioned typesinclude an external projecting tip adapting the top body to rotatenormally about a vertical axis.

Although the prior spinning top type toys have met with widespread use,each of the prior constructions is generally adapted for use primarilyby children within a given age group. Operation of each of the priorunits in question requires generally a predetermined de ree ofmanipulation, and accordingly a generally predetermined dexterity of theoperator; Thus, any one prior construction may be so easily operatedthat it presents a challenge only to the smaller children, only to theteenager, or only to the pre-teenager. For example, top constructionswhich incorporate a conical body and a high-pitch screw-type mechanicaloperating means and which are set in spinning motion by depression of anelongate screw rod can usually be operated by a child of five years ageor less. Such tops, while amusing, do not normally present a sufiicientchallenge to older children to retain their interest in the operationthereof for an extended or repeating periods of time. The return toptype units or Yoyos are sufficiently complex to operate so as to provideamusement for a child in the pre-tecn age group, but this typeconstruction is generally too difiicult to operate for the smallerchild.

Gyroscopic type constructions often provide interest and amusement tothe teenager, but many of these constructions require a dexterity andmanipulation which surpass the ability of younger children. Thus, asshould be apparent from the preceding discussion, prior spinning toptype toys have generally been gauged for use by given age groups, andany one toy is accordingly somewhat limited in its use.

In contrast to the prior art, the present invention has as its primaryobject the provision of a spinning toy top assembly which can beoperated in a plurality of different ways presenting different degreesof required manipulation ability and/or dexterity, whereby the assemblyaffords a challenge to different age groups. More specifically, it is aprirnary object of the present invention to provide a spinning toy topassembly which is so constructed that it can be set into basic operationby a young child, that it can be set into spinning operation by asomewhat older child in at least two different ways, and that it can beset in gyroscopic operation by an even older group of children and/ oradults. Still further in this regard, the

invention has as an important object thereof the provision of a toywhich presents different degrees of challenge in operation to a userwhereby the toy affords amusement and presents an interesting problem toan entire family, including those families in which there are only smallchildren and those families wherein there are several children spaced inage.

Consistent with the foregoing primary and general objects of theinvention, the following specific objects are significant: (a) theprovision of a spinning toy top assembly comprising a spinning top body,a detachable support handle, and an operating cord wherein the body andhandle are so constructed that the handle can serve to support the bodywhen the operating cord is used to set the body in spinning motion andalso used to support the spinning tip of the body after the same is setin spinning motion so as to permit gyroscopic action of the body by theuser; (12) the provision of such an assembly wherein the top body can beset into spinning operation by a user with sulficient dexterity with athrowing b ack-hand type motion; (0) to provide such a spinning topassembly, which in addition to other operating features thereof, soundsa whistle, preferably of varying pitch, when the top body is spinning atsuificient speeds; (d) to provide such an assembly which yields all ofthe aforesaid characteristics and advantages, yet which can beinexpensively produced in durable form so as to be available to theordinary purchaser at a low price and usable without repair for extendedperiods of time; (2) to provide such an assembly wherein the componentparts thereof can be formed of various types of materials including woodand moldable plastics, thus lending the production of the assembly tohigh speed and automatic production operation; and (f) to provide suchan assembly wherein the top body thereof is shaped and formed to insuremaximum aerodynamic balance and resultant efficient operation.

The invention lies in the combination, construction, arrangement andorganization of the spinning toy top assembly disclosed herein. Theinvention will be better understood, and objects other than those setforth above will become apparent, when consideration is given to thefollowing detailed description. Such description refers to the annexeddrawings presenting preferred and illustrative embodiments of theinvention. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded side View, partially in section, presenting thecomponent parts of the top body and support handle of an assemblyconstructed in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side view, partially broken away and partially in sectionof a complete assembly constructed in accordance herewith andincorporating the component parts shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a side view presenting the component parts of an assemblyconstructed in accordance herewith when the user thereof had manipulatedthe assembly in position to display a gyroscopic action;

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a top body constructed in accordanceherewith, FIGURE 4 having been taken as the body is viewed from thenormally upper end thereof;

IGURE 5 is a fragmental sectional view presenting the details ofconstruction of a modified form of support handle incorporated in anassembly constructed in accordance herewith;

FIGURE 6 is a side view, partially broken away, of a modified form oftop body provided hereby for incor- 2 U poration in an assemblyconstructed in accordance herewith; and

FIGURE 7 is a fragmental side view of the normally upper end of a topbody constructed in accordance with a further modification herein.

If reference is initially made to FIGURE 2, it will be noted that thespin top toy assembly is there generally designated by the numeral 10,and shown as included a spinning top body, generally designated by thenumeral 12, a detachable support handle, generally designated by thenumeral 14, and an operating cord generally designated by the numeral16. a

The top body 12 has a conical base section 18 terminating in a generallypointed base tip Ztl. A continuous peripheral recess 22 is provided inthe top body 12 between the normally vertical center and top end 24 ofthe body 12. The recess 22, as shown, is dimensioned to receive aplurality of turns of the operating cord whereby the operating cord canbe wrapped within the recess 22.

At the normally top end 24 of the body 12, there is a centrally disposedvertically projecting collar 26 which has a cylindrical outer periphery28, as shown. The outer diameter of the collar 26 is substantiallysmaller than the diameter of the top end or top face 24 of the body 12in the embodiment shown in FIGURE 2, and since the upper end portion ofthe body 12 as shown in FIGURE 2 is generally cylindrical, the collarhas a maximum outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the body12 adjacent the recess 22 therein.

The operating handle or detachable support handle 14 as also well shownin FIGURE 2, comprises a gripping section 30 and a cup section 32carried by and projecting from the gripping section 30. The cup section32 has a base wall 34 and an upstanding ring wall 36 extending inprojecting transverse relation to the base wall 34. While the operatingor support handle 14 is shown in FIGURE 2 in one operating positionthereof with the ring wall 36 extending downwardly from the base wall34, in accordance with conventional terminology, the cup section may bedefined as having a base wall 34 and an upstanding ring wall 36extending thereabove.

The ring wall 36 of the cup section 32 of the support handle 14terminates in spaced relation to the gripping section 30 of such handleand defines the open end 38 of the cup section. The ring wall 36 isdimensioned interiorly to freely rotatingly, and yet supportingly,receive the projecting collar 26 therein when the cup section 32 isdisposed, as shown in FIGURE 2, over and in surrounding relation to thecollar 26.

With the above construction, when the handle is disposed as shown inFIGURE 2, and the base tip is supported on a surface, preferablyhorizontal, a user can grip the handle 14 with one hand, and grip theoperating cord 16, or specifically the figure-engaging loop 17 thereof,with the other hand and by maintaining the handle stationary and pullingthe operating cord, the .top body 12 is set into spinning motion.Experience has proved this basic operation to require generally aminimum of dexterity, and accordingly basic operation of the assemblycan be achieved by small children. Of course, the fit between the collar:26 and interior surface 37 of the ring wall 36 should be such thatthere is proper vertical support of the top body and yet comparativelyfree rotation of the collar within the cup section permitted. It shouldbe noted that the free end it? of the cup section 32 bears against thetop end or top surface 24 of the body 12 when the assembly is organizedas shown in FIGURE 2, and

. this funther provides some support in the vertical position for thebody 12.

Due to the open end construction of the cup section 32 of the supporthandle 14 and the free engagement thereof with the top body 12 andprojecting collar 26 carried thereby, once the top body has been set inspinning motion, the handle 14 can be disassociated with the top body12, and the top body will remain in spinning motion on the suppontsurface where the motion was started. The operating cord 15 ispreferably a separate cord wrapped within the recess 22, as explainedabove, and once the same has been pulled to start the spinning motion,the cord becomes free of engagement with the top body, and the top bodyremains in a spinning motion free of association with either theoperating cord or support handle.

Now, in order to understand the gyroscopic action which can be achievedwith the invention, assume that the top body was set in spinning motionon a desk or table top, and that the cord and operating handle were thendisassociated therefrom with the top body remaining in spinning motion.To achieve the gyroscopic action, or more particularly the displaythereof in accordance with the invention, the operating or supponthandle 14 would be inverted from the position shown in FIGURE 2 so thatit assumed the position shown in full lines in FIGURE 3. The handlewould then be moved adjacent the edge of the surface on which the topbody 12 was spinning, as assumed above, and the top body would bedirected in any suitable manner, as by a pencil or the like, toward theedge in question. The top body would eventually move off of the edge,and in accordance herewith, the user would attempt to catch the top bodyas it fell from the surface with the base tip 21% thereof in engagementwith the base wall 34 and with the top body 12 still in spinning motion.

The base wall 34, as best shown in FIGURE 3, has a convex face facingthe open end 38 of the cup section 32, and this convex face, as alsoshown in FIGURE 3 has a recess 50 therein disposed at the apex of theconvex face 48. The recess 56 is itself cup-shaped and is dimensioned toreceive the lower extremity of the base tip it).

The base tip 20 and immediately adjacent portion of the base section 18of the top body 12 are dimensioned in accordance herewith in correlatedrelation to the inner diameter of the ring wall 35 and spacing betweenthe open end 38 and base wall 34 of the cup section 32. The correlationbetween the dimensions in this regard is such that the base tip 29 andimmediately adjacent portion of the base section 18 fit freely andtiltably within the ring wall 36 with the lower extremity of the basetip 24 supported on the base wall 34 or more particularly the face 48thereof. Accordingly, the component parts utilized for gyroscopicdisplay permit tilting of the handle 14, for example, to the dotted-lineposition shown in FIGURE 3, and the consequent demonstration ofgyroscopic action of the top body 12.

\As suggested above, setting the top body in spinning motion with theorganization shown in FIGURE 2 is comparatively simple from themanipulation standpoint. However, it has been found that obtaining thegyroscopic display position of the components as shown in FIGURE 3presents a challenge even to an adult. It should be noted here that theconvex face 48 has been included so as to permit the catching of the topbody 12 within the cup section 32 with the base tip 20 merely engagingsome 7 point on the base wall 34. :By vintue of the convexity and theinherent gyroscopic tendency of the body 12, when spinning, the base tip21) will ride on the face 48 toward the recess Sil therein to thus setthe base tip in the position for gyroscopic display.

Aside from the basic operation, and the gyroscopic display operation,the assembly provides a throwable toy spinning top. For this use, theoperating. or support handle 14 is not used, but the operating cord iswrapped within the recess as shown in FlGURE 2 and the top body 12 isheld in one hand with the finger loop 1'7 of the operating cord 16engaged by a suitable finger of such hand. When so gripped, the operatoruses a backhand motion throwing the body 12 outwardly, and retaining theloop 17. The body 12 rotates as it unwinds from the comparativelystationary operating cord 16 during this escribed action, and with theproper throwing technique, the base tip engages a horizontal surfacewith the top body spinning, and the top body remains in a spinningmotion. This last-described operation requires possibly more dexteritythan the basic operation referred to above and thus presents a differentdegree of challenge.

Referring again to FIGURE 2 and the preferred details of construction ofthe preferred embodiment, it will be noted that the base section 18 ofthe top body is disposed on what may be termed the lower side of therecess 22, and that a generally cylindrical top section 6 3' of the body12 is disposed on the other side of the recess 22. The top section isessentially in the form of a disc and has an outer diameter at leastsubstantially the same as the outer diameter of the end 62 of the basesection 155 remote from the tip 20 thereof. A shaft section 64 ofsmaller diameter, in a manner explained more fully below, supports thetop or disc section 64 in spaced relation to the end 62 of the basesection with the faces of the base section and disc or top sectionadjacent the shaft section 4 defining the walls of the continuousperipheral recess 22.

The top section 69 of the top body 12 has a plurality of radial bores 66extending therethrough and communicatin interiorly with an axial bore 68which extends through the collar 26 and into the top or disc section 69of the top body. The axial bore 58 is preferably formed with a shoulder78 intermediate the ends thereof, and a Whistle means 72 is disposedwithin said axial bore in resting engagement above said shoulder 7%.With the provision of the described radial and axial bores, thecommunication therebetween, and the disposition of the whistle meanswithin the axial bore in spaced relation to the inner or base end 69thereof, as the top body spins there is a transfer of air through thewhistle means and a resultant sounding thereby. It will be noted thatthe radial bores as communicate with the axial bore 68 adjacent the base69 thereof, thus facilitating the proper positioning of the shoulder 76and wafer-shaped Whistle means 72 supported thereby to achieve therequired air flow.

In FIGURE 4 the preferred angular relation between the bores 66 is shownas well as the communication thereof with the axial bore 68, and whistlemeans '72.

The operating or support handle 14 incorporated in the preferredembodiment hereof advantageously comprises a wood turning shaped toyield the gripping section 3i) and cup section 32. The Walls of the openended cup can be those resulting from boring inwardly into the cupsection. The base wall 34, however, preferably is formed by a suitablelow friction insert such as the metal wafer or disc 8t: shown inFIGURE 1. Such disc or wafer 89 is dimensioned to frictionally fittightly within the ring wall 28 and in resting engagement on the base ofthe cup. While the preferred embodiment contemplates forming the handle1 as prescribed above, a modification hereof provides for forming thehandle as shown in FIGURE 5. By reference to this figure, it will benoted that the handle 14- there shown includes a gripping section 3%)having an axial bore 82 disposed centrally thereon and opening onto theadjacent free end. The bore 32 is adapted to receive in tight frictionalengagement the shaft projection or stud 84 which extends from a cupsection element generally designated by the numeral 86. This cup sectionelement has a convex base wall 83 and an upstanding ring wall 9! Thefree end of the rin wall 90 is beveled as at as, but generally this cupsection element provides a corresponding construction to that of the cupsection 32 described above. If the cup section element 8-5 is formed asa wood turning, then the recess 4 provided at the apex of the conicalbase wall 83 thereon can advantageously have inserted therein a smalllow friction durable bearing cup 96.

It should be understood that the wafer or disc 8t? shown in FIGURE 1 isdesigned to provide a bearing surface over the entire base inside of thecup section 32. Thus,

this disc or wafer can be formed, for example of suitable bearingmaterials such as steel, polytetrafluoroethylene (tefion) or otherconventional bearing material. However, as suggested in connection withFIGURE 5, the base of the cup can be an exposed wood surface with asmall metal or other suitable bearing material, cup provided in therecess thereof to insure continued troublefree operation notwithstandingthe bearing action of the base tip 2%. Still further, as also suggestedin connection with FIGURE 5, the open end 38 of the cup section 32 canbe beveled so as to reduce the frictional engagement between such endand the top end or face 24 of the top body 12 during operation of theassembly with the arrangement of FIGURE 2 to set the top body inspinning motion.

To minimize production costs and facilitate manufacture by massproduction techniques, the top body 12 is preferably formed from twomating parts designated respectively in FIGURE 1 as A and B. Part A is,in accordance with the preferred embodiment hereof, a frustoconical woodturning having a cylindrical lip or edge 9% adjacent the outer basethereof and connecting with the outer frusto-conical surface 92, at theend thereof of greatest diameter, the top end as shown. The apex of thefrusto-conical part A is provided with an axial bore 94 having an openend 96 at the apex. The end of the part A remote from the apex isprovided with an enlarged axial counter bore 98. The axial counter bore98 is centrally disposed vertically with respect to the axis of part Aand extends through a projection collar which extends laterally of thetop face 192 of part A.

The axial bore 94 is adapted to receive the shaft 164 of a spear-headedelement 166. The spear head 103 of this element is conical and forms thebase tip 20 discussed previously. The shaft 164 carries frictionalprojections or grooves 111 such as included on a conventional nail,whereby the shaft 104 can be frictionally inserted, maintained, andgripped within the axial bore 94 dimensioned to receive the shaft.

The spear headed element 1% is preferably formed of a low frictionbearing material such as steel, aluminum, or Teflon, for example. Thematerial selected should have correlated characteristics for properbearing on the material utilized in forming the bearing surface of thesmall cup recess in the base wall of the cup section 32 of the operatingor support handle 30.

The part B of the top body 12 is preferably also formed as a woodturning and includes and provides the top or disc section as of the body12, as well as the projecting collar 26 thereof. Still further, part Bis provided with the radial bores 66 and the shouldered axial bore 63.In addition, however, the part 13 includes a stub cylindrical projection116 which is centrally disposed and projects beyond the side of part Bopposite that from which the collar 26 projects. The stub projection11!? of part B and axial counter bore 93 in part A are dimensioned toprovide for a tight frictional lit of the stub projection in the counterbore 98. When the stub projection 110 is inserted within the counterbore $8 the lower face 112 of part B from which the stub projectsengages the top face 114 of the collar 1% of part A. Thus, with theparts assembled as shown in FIGURE 2, the continuous peripheral recess22 has side walls defined by the face 152 of part A and the face 112 ofpart B and a base wall defined by the outer periphery of collar 10% ofpart A.

The whistle means 72 referred to above is of well known construction andincludes a pair of mating cup shaped members 116 and 113, each of whichhas a small aperture centrally provided in the crown face or wallthereof. Utilization of such a whistle means, as suggested above,requires proper positioning thereof relative to the air passage channelestablished through the radial bores 65 and axial bore 68, but suchpositioning can be achieved easily by those familiar with the art fromthe teachings of this specification with respect to the overallconstruction of the assembly provided hereby. It is to be noted,however, that a whistle means such as described above affords at leasttwo different tones during spinning operation of the top body 12, andyet, by virtue of the construction herein taught, the whistle means andassociated air passage does not interfere with proper aerodynamicbalance of the overall unit.

Notwithstanding the fact that the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention contemplates forming the body 12 primarily from wood, suchbody can be formed from molded plastic. In this instance, it would bedesirable to mold parts A and B as shown in FIGURE 1 so as to minimizemolding problems. Moreover, in this instance, in order to avoid expenseof materials, it would be desirable to at least mold part A as a hollowbody. An exemplary construction of this type is shown in FIGURE 6partially broken away side view. The top body 12 is shown as having atleast the base section thereon molded as a hollow component and filledwith a dense material such as sand, the sand being designated by thenumeral 139. Filling of hollow-molded articles can be achieved invarious ways Well known to those engaged in toy manufacture, and thus adetailed discussion of this modification of the instant invention,further than set forth above, appears unnecessary. The important factoris to understand that the assembly hereof can be formed from variousmaterials and in different ways without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention. For a still further example, refer to FIGURE 7wherein the top body 12" is shown as including a generically sphericalupper or top section 69.

Although the details of the invention have been discussed at lengthabove, there are certain structural characteristics of possiblesignificance which have not been mentioned; (a) the convexity of thebase face within the cup section of the support handle preferably has amean angle of slope of between five and twenty degrees; ([2) thepreferred embodiment contemplates the use of a flat top end or face 24because this facilitates the printing of indicia thereon and/ or theapplication of a suitable display or advertising label, decal, or thelike, and/or the provision of an attractive geometric design thereon.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparentthat the objects set forth at the outset of this specification have beensuccessfully achieved. Accordingly,

What is claimed is:

1. A spinning top toy assembly comprising a spinning top body adapted tospin about a vertical axis, a detachable support handle, and anoperating cord, said top body having an at least generally conical basesection terminating in an at least generally pointed base tip, acontinuous peripheral recess between the center and the top end of saidbody, said recess being dimensioned to receive a plurality of turns ofsaid cord therein, said body carrying at the normally top end thereof acentrally disposed vertically projecting collar having a maximum outerdiameter smaller than the outer diameter of said body adjacent saidrecess, said handle comprising a gripping section and a cup sectionintegral with and projecting from said gripping section, said cupsection having a base Wall and a ring wall projecting therefrom, saidring wall terminating in spaced relation to said gripping section anddefining an open end of said cup section, said base wall having a convexface and a recess disposed at the apex of said convex face, said ringwall being dimensioned interiorly to freely rotatably supportinglyreceive said projecting collar therein when said cup section is disposedover and in surrounding relation to said collar, said base tip andimmediately adjacent portion of said base section of said top body beingdimensioned to freely and tiltably fit witd n said ring wall with saidbase tip supported on the convex face of said base wall so as to.

permit adjustable movement of said top to urge said base tip toward andinto said last-mentioned recess during a spinning operation of said topbody.

2. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said cupsection is disposed at one end of, and in longitudinal alignment wi saidgripping secti n.

3. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said ringwall is formed integrally with said gripping section.

4. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said basewall comprises a low friction insert.

5. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 3 wherein said basewall is formed integrally with said ring wall and includes a lowfriction insert forming said recess therein.

6. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 2 wherein said collarhas a cylindrical outer periphery, and said ring wall has a cylindricalinner periphery.

7. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said topbody has an axial bore extending through said collar and into theadjacent portion of said top body, wherein said top body also has aplurality of radial bores therethrough extending transversely of saidaxial bore and communicattherewith, and wherein a whistle means isdisposed within said axial bore.

8. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 7 wherein saidwhistle means is wafer shaped, and wherein said axial bore has ashoulder therein engaging the periphery of said whistle means andsupporting the same in spaced relation to the base of said axial bore,and wherein said radial bores communicate with said axial bore adjacentthe base thereof.

9. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 8 wherein said topbody includes a disc section having an outer diameter at leastsubstantially the same as the outer diameter of the end of said basesection remote from the tip thereof, and a shaft section of smallerdiameter, said shaft section supporting said disc section in spacedrelation to the last mentioned end of said base section, the faces ofsaid base section and said disc section adjacent said shaft sectiondefining the walls of said continuous peripheral recess.

10. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein saidcollar has a cylindrical outer periphery, and said ring wall has acylindrical inner periphery.

11. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said topbody has an axial bore extending through said collar and into theadjacent portion of said top body, wherein said top body also has aplurality of radial bores therethrough extending transversely of saidaxial bore and communicating therewith, and wherein a whistle means isdisposed within said axial bore.

12. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 11 wherein saidwhistle means is wafer shaped, and wherein said axial bore has ashoulder therein engaging the periphcry of said whistle means andsupporting the some in spaced relation to the base of said axial bore,wherein said radial bores communicate with said axial bore adjacent thebase thereof, wherein said top body includes a disc section having anouter diameter at least substantially the same as the outer diameter ofthe end of said base section remote from the tip thereof, and a shaftsection of smaller diameter, said shaft section supporting said discsection in spaced relation to the last mentioned end of said basesection, the faces of said base section and said disc section adjacentsaid shaft section defining the walls of said continuous peripheralrecess.

. 13. A spinning top toy assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said topbody comp-rises a pair of mating components, one of said componentsproviding said base section and having a centrally disposed collarprojecting from the end thereon opposite said base tip, said onecomponent having an axial bore therein extending through said lastmentioned collar, the other or" said components providing a top sectionfor said body and having a stub projection extending laterally andcentrally from one side thereof, said stub projection being frictionallyengaged in said axial bore, said one side of said other component and 9said end of said one component defining the side walls of saidperipheral recess, the outer surface of said last mentioned collarproviding the base wall of said peripheral recess.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS625,121 Powers May 16, 1899 Hennessy Mar. 25, 1902 Cook Apr. 7, 190 3Handell Feb. 8, 1916 Murphree Dec. 6, 1932 Laing Dec. 6, 1938 Gill Feb.14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS France June 30, 1947

1. A SPINNING TOP TOY ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A SPINNING TOP BODY ADAPTED TO SPIN ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS, A DETACHABLE SUPPORT HANDLE, AND AN OPERATING CORD, SAID TOP BODY HAVING AN AT LEAST GENERALLY CONICAL BASE SECTION TERMINATING IN AN AT LEAST GENERALLY POINTED BASE TIP, A CONTINUOUS PERIPHERAL RECESS BETWEEN THE CENTER AND THE TOP END OF SAID BODY, SAID RECESS BEING DIMENSIONED TO RECEIVE A PLURALITY OF TURNS OF SAID CORD THEREIN, SAID BODY CARRYING AT THE NORMALLY TOP END THEREOF A CENTRALLY DISPOSED VERTICALLY PROJECTING COLLAR HAVING A MAXIMUM OUTER DIAMETER SMALLER THAN THE OUTER DIAMETER OF SAID BODY ADJACENT SAID RECESS, SAID HANDLE COMPRISING A GRIPPING SECTION AND A CUP SECTION INTEGRAL WITH AND PROJECTING FROM SAID GRIPPING SECTION, SAID CUP SECTION HAVING A BASE WALL AND A RING WALL PROJECTING THEREFROM, SAID RING WALL TERMINATING IN SPACED RELATION TO SAID GRIPPING SECTION AND DEFINING AN OPEN END OF SAID CUP SECTION, SAID BASE WALL HAVING A CONVEX FACE AND A RECESS DISPOSED AT THE APEX OF SAID CONVEX FACE, SAID RING WALL BEING DIMENSIONED INTERIORLY TO FREELY ROTATABLY SUPPORTINGLY RECEIVE SAID PROJECTING COLLAR THEREIN WHEN SAID CUP SECTION IS DISPOSED OVER AND IN SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID COLLAR, SAID BASE TIP AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT PORTION OF SAID BASE SECTION OF SAID TOP BODY BEING DIMENSIONED TO FREELY AND 